Ken Rosenthal's take on where Soriono will go?!?!

[Sports Guy]

If they gave him a contract like that, Angelos would want it backloaded and deferred (interest-free).

Tejada got a signing bonus paid out over his contract.(4 million up front).

With an older player, they may focus more up front.

BTW, you could easily be right.

[Flosman]

Tejada got a signing bonus paid out over his contract.(4 million up front).

With an older player, they may focus more up front.

BTW, you could easily be right.

Miggy was given that because he demanded it not because the O's where trying to match value with the timing of payments.

[geschinger]

What are the chances that from 2010-2012 that Soriano can average a 800 OPS?

I'd say very slim.

[KstateBird]

What are the chances that from 2010-2012 that Soriano can average a 800 OPS?

You could always get 2-3 good years out of him, then move him for prospects like many advocate that we do with Tejada. You definitely don't give him 6 years with an extensive no-trade clause.

[crstrobel]

Says that he will go to highest bidder and that he talked to a GM and he said he thought he would land in Baltimore for 6/94mill

I will believe it when I see him at the warehouse putting on a hat and jersey. It is waaaaay to early to get our hopes up, especially with the track record of this front office.

[caljr]

Can someone please give me some examples of players who have seen a significant decline in production at the age of 33 for reasons not related to injury. I am having trouble thinking of any.

[Sports Guy]

Can someone please give me some examples of players who have seen a significant decline in production at the age of 33 for reasons not related to injury. I am having trouble thinking of any.

The problem is as as player gets older, the possibility of injuries go way up. So, even though Soriano has been pretty durable now, it doesn't mean that will continue.

[Boca Bird]

I'd say very slim.

Will anyone care if he helps get us back to the playoffs/respectability before then?

[Sports Guy]

Will anyone care if he helps get us back to the playoffs/respectability before then?

No but if he doesn't get us there and we have a huge contract for just an average player, what then? Just say, hey, it was worth a shot?

[Boca Bird]

No but if he doesn't get us there and we have a huge contract for just an average player, what then? Just say, hey, it was worth a shot?

Hell yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sick of the play it safe, wait for the prefect trade, or free agent bargain basement mentality displayed by one of baseball's richest franchises

[geschinger]

Will anyone care if he helps get us back to the playoffs/respectability before then?

If acquiring him was the best way to get back to the playoffs/respectability than maybe it'd make sense. But he won't and there are much better ways to use those resources to improve the team.

[olehippi]

What are the chances that from 2010-2012 that Soriano can average a 800 OPS?

Who will care if he is one of the pieces to help make us a winning team, and possibly a legitimate contender, in 2007, 2008, and 2009?

[geschinger]

I'm sick of the play it safe, wait for the prefect trade, or free agent bargain basement mentality displayed by one of baseball's richest franchises

Taking risks is fine, they just should be calculated risks, not reckless ones.

[clapdiddy]

Sorry...I'm a little out of the loop, but when does the free agent signing period begin?

And....a bigger question....

What if the Orioles would somehow pull this deal off? What if they decide that they want Soriano and close the deal? How would you feel about it?

I'm not a big fan of Soriano and I do think his skills may erode a bit as he gets older. He does seem to keep himself in pretty good shape and he very well could be one of those guys who doesn't have the big drop off in production. He has excellent bat speed and could put up some monster power numbers here.

If he could keep his OBP in the .330 - .350 range year in and year out, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with spending the big money on him. He does seem to have the respect of his teammates. I know the Yankees players liked him and I haven't ever heard a teammate say anything negative about him. TonyS may find a contradiction to this somewhere...???

He would fill a huge, gaping hole on this team immediately, and would certainly energize the fan base. It would probably make the O's a little more attractive to other players in the league as well. I could see a guy like Alou and/or Piazza being interested in coming here to DH if we pull off a big move like this.

I still think the best move of this offseason would be to trade off any player who could bring us young talent. I just don't think we will be in the running for a big player...or any semi-talented player...without massively overpaying.

Overall, I guess I'd be on the fence with it and I'd have to see what additional moves they make. If they decide that they want to go for it, then I sure hope they make a concerted effort to do it. If we sign Soriano and get little else done, then I'd think it would be a questionable direction to take.

[geschinger]

Who will care if he is one of the pieces to help make us a winning team, and possibly a legitimate contender, in 2007, 2008, and 2009?

We have too many holes and vastly overpaying for the production we'd get out of him will limit the resources available for all the other holes we need to fill. We've already got one contract that looks like a bad one we'll have to overcome on the books (Mora) so why add another that will almost certainly be another bad one?